


partners in crime

by sorbetjin



Series: another name for the devil [2]
Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Police, Attempt at Humor, Blood and Injury, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Crossdressing, Cults, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Grumpy Min Yoongi | Suga, Gun Violence, Human Sacrifice, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Murder, Partners in Crime, Platonic Soulmates, Police Officer Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Police Officer Min Yoongi | Suga, Producer Min Yoongi | Suga, Psychological Trauma, Undercover Missions, Undercover as a Couple, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:14:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sorbetjin/pseuds/sorbetjin
Summary: Min Yoongi works alone. That's his general rule of thumb—but when Jung Hoseok shows up fresh from his training period, smiling brighter than the sun itself, he learns maybe it's not so bad to have someone have your back, after all.But things never go the way he wants them to, do they?// police!sope au, spin-off from another name for the devil(warning! contains major spoilers for the first work)
Relationships: Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Min Yoongi | Suga
Series: another name for the devil [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1631623
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	1. summer sun

**Author's Note:**

> This story's purpose is to detail the incident Hoseok hints at in Chapter 2 of another name for the devil, as well as to explore the beginning of their friendship and trust in one another.
> 
> The timeline of events in this fic precedes the events of another name for the devil, and contains spoilers, which ultimately defeats the purpose of a murder mystery lol so please read the main work beforehand.
> 
> hope you enjoy :)

“Hello, sir! My name is Jung Hoseok, pleased to be in your care!”

Min Yoongi stared warily at the young man in front of him, his uniform crisp and not a single hair out of place. The sunlight seemed to highlight his delicate frame; and Yoongi must be more bit sleep-deprived than he initially thought because he could almost see sunflowers blooming around him. He radiated warmth and positivity-- exactly the kind of people Yoongi hated working with. He took a sip of his coffee, wondering what the hell he had done to deserve this kind of luck.

Chief Lee Hyun had already warned him beforehand that a new officer fresh from his training period was getting transferred under him, but that didn’t make him feel any better. Who thought it was a good idea for _Min Yoongi_ out of all people to guide a probationary officer?

“Are you always this cheery everyday?” He sighed. He could already feel the heaviness under his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Listen, if you’re gonna work with me, kid, you better get used to this masterpiece right here. I don’t tolerate blind optimism.”

Hoseok blinked, his salute slowly dropping to his side. “Uh, okay. Sorry. I’ll tone it down a bit.”

The other officers shot Hoseok a pitiful look. Rarely were there anyone else in the station, but everyone had come to welcome the new guy— ultimately witnessing Yoongi being a grade-A jerk.

Yoongi felt a twinge of guilt when he saw how quickly his mood dropped. He seemed so naive and ready to take on the world, yet here Yoongi was, shitting all over his first day. He tapped his fingers against the desk. “…I don’t mind. Don’t feel any pressure to change yourself because of someone like me. I’m just having a bad day.”

This seemed to cheer him up. “Yes, sir! I’ll be sure not to slow you down.”

Yoongi felt the corner of his lips twitch. “How old were you again?”

“I was born in ‘94, sir.”

Yoongi clapped his hands over Hoseok’s back. “I’m a year older, huh? Welcome to the team, Hoseok. And drop the sir. I don’t even rank that much higher than you.”

Hoseok sank into the seat across him, his confusion evident. “H-huh? Is that alright?”

“In a place as small as this,” Yoongi said drily. “You make your own rules, Hoseok-ah.”

Truth be told, Yoongi hated having someone tail him everywhere. Hoseok would idly linger around him as he talked to the chief, did paperwork, or made coffee. At this rate, he was surprised his bathrooms breaks were still spent alone. Granted, he was timid and unsure of what to do, and Yoongi didn’t particularly had anything he needed help with.

Sometimes, when he caught Hoseok looking especially lifeless, he’d send him off to make some coffee, or slide some paperwork onto his desk. Yoongi didn’t know why someone would ask for more work, but he understood the feeling of wanting to be more useful.

“Here’s your coffee, hyung.” Hoseok said, sliding back into his seat. “Is it too hot?”

Yoongi’s tongue nearly burned, and he almost choked from how sweet it was, but he kept his face straight. “…thanks, Hoseok-ah.”

But other than having a gross lack of responsibilities due to being in a remote area, things were going well. After getting through the rough patch that was the first couple days of them being awkward around each other, they fell into a comfortable sense of harmony.

“Is everyone usually this hostile to the newcomer?”

Okay, maybe it was just him.

The book covering Yoongi’s face fell to his lap. He turned to Hoseok, who was watching him nervously, his hands pressed into his lap. “What do you mean?” He asked, immediately straightening up in his seat. Hoseok was whispering, and he figured he should lower his voice, too. “Is anyone threatening you?”

“What? No!”

“Then, what is it? If it’s not important I’ll get back to reading this manga.”

“But you were sleeping, hyung.”

“I wasn’t. I just have bad eyesight.”

Hoseok seemed ready to bicker, and Yoongi half-expected him to. He didn’t mind. He barely had anything interesting to look at during his day job, and Hoseok was a pretty amusing person all-around. But he took a deep breath, his expression serious. “I just… Whenever I walk in, they kind of glare at me. Is it my accent? But maybe I’m just over-thinking things.”

Yoongi frowned. Why did his accent even matter? Yoongi couldn’t care less if someone was from Jeolla-do, all that mattered was if they were decent human beings or not.

But his co-workers didn’t seem to share the same sentiment. With 90% of the employees being Daegu locals, Yoongi had feared this would happen the moment Hoseok spoke in his broken-ass Seoul dialect on the first day.

“Who gives a shit about them,” He leaned forward, the chair creaking underneath him. He spoke carefully, knowing how sensitive the topic of discussion was. “If it’s your dream to protect peace or whatever, don’t let it get to you. They’re a bunch of racist bigots who can’t do shit. I’m your hyung. I’ll take care of you.”

Hoseok gave him a warm smile, his eyes glassy. He reached a hand out to touch Yoongi’s. “Hyung…”

Yoongi looked at their intertwined fingers, and was surprised that he did not mind it. “If anyone ever looks at you funny, you tell me, you got it? I can give people a mean glare or two.” He deadpanned.

“I mean, does it even matter?” Hoseok giggled. “We barely have anyone here during our shift. I can manage a few seconds of interaction when we punch in the time cards.”

“Then don’t come crying to me later, you brat.”

“Hyung, don’t be like that. We were bonding!”

Yoongi shook his hand away. “Okay, now I’ll go back to bonding with my sleep.”

When Hoseok laughter filled the room, Yoongi thought he could get used to this kind of life of peace and joy.

But of course, as police officers, even the most rural areas will still get their fair share of crimes eventually. It was time for Hoseok to learn the hard way how taxing their work actually was.

“Ma’am, how big did you say the cow was?”

Taxing on his sanity, that was.

Yoongi crossed his arms as he watched Hoseok scribble furiously onto his little yellow notepad, eyebrows dipped in concentration as he listened to the old woman passionately describe her precious cattle. Yoongi twirled the screwdriver around his fingers, his toolbelt hanging loose from his hips. The lose screws of the cattle pen gate was an easy fix compared to Hoseok’s job.

Hoseok seemed disappointed that it wasn't something big, but Yoongi had gotten fairly used to petty crime in the area. Ever since the local cult had gone MIA years ago, what with the heir being transferred to a mental asylum, life in the Daegu countryside had gotten pretty lacklustre.

“Who do you think did it?” Hoseok whispered as they paced around the shed. He did not seem to realise Yoongi was only poking around at the haystack out of boredom, joining in the activity with the end of his pen. He paused. “I swear to god, if a snake jumps out now…”

“Snakes don’t jump, Hoseok-ah.” Yoongi sighed, stretching. “I think I know who did it.”

Hoseok seemed skeptical. “You’re lying, right? Are you just saying that to sound cool?”

“Did you know? Cows are fucking massive.”

“Yeah?”

“You really can’t be a detective, huh?” Yoongi stuck his hands in his pockets, gesturing at the field across them with a nod of his head. “Look over there.”

Sure enough, a cow stood lazily in the middle of tall grass, grazing to its heart’s content. Hoseok’s jaw dropped. “What the f-- It’s not even a case of stealing?! Goddamnit! Just when I thought things were getting good around here.”

Yoongi ignored him, taking off his shoes and socks and marching towards the field. He hated spending time sitting around in his office, but he hated being out and about even more. He’d prefer getting this riveting case done as soon as possible, even if it meant he had to wade through mushy farmland.

“W-wait!” Hoseok shrieked, instinctively grabbing onto his arm and interlocking their fingers with his free hand. He didn’t seem notice Yoongi’s flustered whine, trying his best not to sink into the mud. “We need to be careful, otherwise we’ll trip.”

“As if slippery ground can best me.” Yoongi snorted. He was more worried over the fact Hoseok might’ve stretched out his sleeves too much than falling in some soil.

Slowly, the two of them made their way to the cow, Hoseok nearly in tears whenever stepping on low-lying grass, mumbling about reptilian noodles under his breath; and Yoongi trying his best not to scare the animal away. He was a pretty fast runner, but he doubted he could catch up to a cow.

“No sudden movements.” Yoongi murmured. Hoseok was much closer than he realised, and the poor boy jumped when his breath hit his ear. 

“What if it attacks us?”

“I doubt it. It’s old and tame.”

Yoongi approached the cow, tentatively reaching out for the halter. As he made his way back to the old woman’s house, the cow sluggishly following behind them, he wondered if this was even a two-person job. If anything, it would’ve been much easier and less stressful if he didn’t need to take Hoseok into account with every step he took.

Even as they knocked on the door once more, the cow safely back in its pen, Hoseok made no effort to detach himself from his arm.

The woman thanked them profusely, inviting them inside for a cup of tea. Seeing the woman’s teary eyes, Yoongi accepted her hug, bending down to wrap his arms around her. Hoseok settled for an enthusiastic handshake.

“I’d have no idea what to do if it weren’t for you two young boys,” She sniffled. “Ever since my husband passed, it’s been difficult to keep the cattle in check. At my age, running after them isn’t good for my bones.”

Hoseok shifted awkwardly, quickly accepting the steaming cup from her shakey hands. “We’re just doing our jobs, ma’am.”

She regarded him, squinting. “You’re a new face, eh, Hoseok-ah? Little Yoongi has been helping me out for as long as I can remember.”

Yoongi looked away, ignoring the surprise on Hoseok’s face. “I’m sure it’s been hard on you, auntie. Call me anytime you need help.”

When they got back to their small station, Hoseok nudged him hard. “Why didn’t you tell me you already knew each other? Then we wouldn’t have needed to go through formalities!”

“It’s not a big deal. I used to help around her and her husband’s farm when I was a kid. When I was stationed here, it just felt normal to continue doing so.” Yoongi shrugged, rubbing the spot Hoseok hit. “Plus, we’re doing fieldwork to teach _you_ how to follow protocols. This is to train you, not me.”

“I mean, yeah.” Hoseok huffed, opening the door to the locker room for the both of them. “But you still help her out now? Aren’t you busy?”

Yoongi stepped behind the changing screens, tugging his mud-soaked pants off. “I mostly help her on Saturdays. Y’know, feed the chickens, drive her to the market for groceries. We do volunteer work at the orphanage sometimes.”

Hoseok’s smile seemed different, somehow. It appeared softer around the edges, almost as if he was the human embodiment of melting chocolate. Or maybe Yoongi was disillusioned because he looked nicer when he wasn’t covered in sludge. “What do you do on Sundays, then? Go drinking?”

“I go fishing with the chief.”

“You’re full of surprises, Min Yoongi.”

“Shut up. We have to file a report now.” Yoongi groaned, turning on his desktop and pulling up the cheat template he always used. “God, I hate seeing my desk; It reminds me that I have to work, which I hate even _more_. Have I mentioned I hate working?”

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, poking his head over his computer monitor. He sprung up, his expression full of poorly-concealed disgust. “I hate seeing it even more. Clean it up, you’re such a mess!”

Yoongi couldn’t believe there were people like Hoseok in the world, who was always full of energy and ready to take on tasks after tasks. After their little adventure, all Yoongi wanted to do was stare off into space until their shift was over. Meanwhile, Hoseok was fussing over his disorganized files and strewn notebooks.

Yoongi begrudgingly shoved his notebooks away into his drawers. He wouldn’t want anyone touching them, not with such personal lyrics scribbled inside. Hoseok didn’t seem to notice, his hands reaching out to readjust the pictures lining his desk.

“Ah, don’t touch that!” He snapped, startling Hoseok. He dropped the picture frame, and Yoongi’s body reacted, his arm lashing out to catch it before it hit the ground. “…thank God.” He muttered, slumping back into his seat.

Hoseok was staring at him wide-eyed, his hands clutching his chest. “Good catch. Also, what just happened?”

“I used to play basketball.”

Hoseok clicked his tongue. “I meant with the picture. Who is that?”

Yoongi pushed it back into its original position, wiping the glass with his sleeves. It was an old photograph from many years ago, back when Yoongi would have never even dreamt of becoming a policeman. He was smiling then, his cheeks flushed red and his hair messy from the wind. The little boy next to him had tackled him into a hug just before the camera snapped the picture, and that was how they were; frozen in time, laughing without a care in the world.

More than ten years had passed since then, and he still cherished the memories he shared with Taehyung. He wondered how he was doing nowadays.

He smiled.

“Just some kid I used to know.”


	2. autumn in sepia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The incident occurs, and Hoseok will never let Yoongi live it down.

“Good news, Yoongi! I have some work for you.”

“In what world is that considered good news?” Yoongi groaned, not bothering to hide his annoyance. The chief had called him into his office the moment he punched in his time card, claiming it was urgent, and so he had ended up holding onto his carry-on and thermos like a fool.

“Now, now. You haven’t worked on anything big in a while, and I’ve got just the thing for you.” Lee Hyun wagged his finger at Yoongi in a disapproving manner. “Hoseok will get to go on his first stakeout! Isn’t that exciting?”

“Personally, I considered catching cows the highlight of my career.” Yoongi deadpanned.

He didn’t like the way the chief’s eyes gleamed as he held up a yellow folder. “Hold your tongue, Yoongi-ah. You’ll want in on it after you hear about this case.”

“Was there really no one else for this job?”

“Are you fishing for compliments right now? You know there’s no one else in this office I trust more than you, especially with a job of this calibre. Don't tell them I said that-- I'm not supposed to be biased.”

“Is it really that big of a deal? What kind of job is it?” He sighed, sitting himself down. “Let’s hear it, then.”

Lee Hyun seemed satisfied. He slid the folder across his desk, urging Yoongi to open it. “As I said, it will basically be a stakeout. The ones originally in charge of this case managed to narrow down the search area, but it’s still a pretty big place. We’ll have you and Hoseok check out the suspicious areas.”

Yoongi’s fingers paused on the _reports_ tab. Somehow, his body was heating up from the inside. It was a sense of exhilaration of what was to come that he hadn’t experienced in a long time; a reminder of why he even took this line of work in the first place.

A strong want for justice.

“This--”

“A serial killer.” Lee Hyun said grimly. “Targets young women especially, confirmed to sexually assault his victims as well. His body count totals to 9. Recently, he had gotten sloppy, and some survivors has been helping with tracking him down. Now’s our chance.”

“Fucking hell.” Yoongi breathed, setting down the papers. The last big case he had worked on was a few weeks back regarding drug trafficking. He hadn’t touched a murder case in a few months, let alone a serial killer. “And you want to expose a probationary officer to all this?”

The chief shrugged. “He’s gonna have to see something like this sooner or later. And I know you’ll take care of him.”

Yoongi pursed his lips, hauling himself up whilst clutching the file tightly. “I guess we have to do this, huh? The thought of a guy like this running amok…”

“Thank you for your service, officer.” The man laced his fingers together, smiling at him serenely. “And remember.”

Yoongi halted, his hand hovering over the door handle. “Yes?”

“Don’t act rashly.” The corners of his lips twitched. “You’re not just one person anymore, Yoongi.”

He said nothing, closing the door behind him as quietly as he could. Despite his extra precautions, Hoseok came hopping over to him almost instantly. Yoongi could feel a migraine coming on.

Hoseok gasped, noticing the familiar yellow file. “Is that a new case for us?”

“You’re gonna have to sit down for this.” Yoongi mumbled.

It took a while to explain to Hoseok their entire mission, answering all his questions about _when, how, why---_ and after he was done, he found himself staring at his dumbfounded partner.

“I can’t believe it’s time for me to get out on the field.” He said breathlessly. Yoongi noticed the way his fist clenched around the badge meticulously hand-sewn onto his uniform. “The day has finally come.”

Yoongi sipped his drink to calm his nerves. Even if he didn’t verbalise it to Hoseok, he was worried about bringing a newcomer along on such a high-profile case. God knows how overly-excitable Yoongi was back then, wanting to chase down every shady character, smashing through windows and doing unnecessary badge-flashing. The chief found him amusing, wanting so desperately to prove himself capable of his job.

Yet, now he was worried _Hoseok_ would be the same. Just the thought of Hoseok diving headfirst into risky situations, confronting criminals… it made him sick to the stomach.

But of course, as police officers, even the most rural areas will still get their fair share of crimes eventually. Yoongi had to realise that this was an integral part in growth for Hoseok’s career.

“Hyung, I’m not used to fieldwork yet,” Hoseok stared at the case file in awe. “What do I do? What should I expect? D-do I shoot if I see a criminal?”

“First of all, don’t be reckless.” Yoongi said, tilting his head. _He had to stay calm and play his part as the reliable mentor_ , he reminded himself. “Wait for orders, but don’t hesitate to act if you think it’s necessary.”

Hoseok frowned, his notepad slipping from his hand. “So should I or should I not make my own judgement based on the situation?”

“...yes.”

“Hyung, which is it?”

“You’re really asking me?” Yoongi huffed. “Based on protocol, no. Wait for your superior’s order, which in this case, is me. But based on logic? You’re a human, you can think, and I trust you’ll make decisions that you think are right.”

The last sentence tasted bitter on his tongue, but he knew it was the sort of advice he would’ve wanted when he first started out. He shouldn’t control Hoseok like a puppet. He was meant to teach, not dictate; even if it meant ignoring his own personal concerns. His attachments shouldn’t get in the way of his job.

“And what if it’s the wrong choice?” Hoseok seemed lost, his eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed.

“Then you’ll have to deal with the consequences.” Upon seeing Hoseok’s expression, Yoongi quickly added, “Look, life isn’t black and white. Sometimes you just have to go with your guts and live in the moment. What comes after that, well… we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.”

“Somehow, you teach me so much, yet so little.”

“You’ll miss my wisdom when your fieldwork period is over.”

“Hyung, with so few personnel here, I’m pretty sure we’ll be seeing each other a lot. Plus my desk is literally in front of yours.”

Yoongi ignored him, tapping the police sketch clipped to the file. It was pretty well-done; they had the help of the victims in reconstructing the man’s features. The only thing left to do was tracking him down and catching him. “Hoseok-ah, focus. This will be your first _actual_ crime case.”

“Does stealing not count as crime here in Daegu?”

“I mean,” Yoongi waved his hands in a vague gesture. “A more interesting crime.”

“I guess I’ll have to trust you since you have the most solved cases under your belt despite being so young. You’re not getting the promotion anytime soon?” Hoseok pouted. “I’d be sad if you moved away, you know.”

Yoongi scoffed. “I’ve lived here my whole life. And I think the chief likes me a bit too much to transfer me somewhere else. Y’know, what with me being such a good officer and all.”

Hoseok slid the case file away from him. “Yeah, okay, sure. You can’t even focus on the report for a whole minute!”

“You’re the one distracting me, Jung Hoseok.”

“Regardless of that, let’s be professional. When are we leaving for the stakeout? It’s pretty far from the station, right?”

Hoseok seemed particularly interested in the _pretty far_ part of their task, Yoongi noted. Both of their apartments were roughly half an hour away from the station, but with long shifts ahead, they might as well be living in the office. Hoseok most likely hadn’t had much chance to go out to the city part of Daegu since getting transferred there.

“We’ll be undercover,” Yoongi sneaked a glance at his expression. “And since we’ll be working on pinpointing the murderer’s location, I think I can give you a tour of the area.”

“You’ve been to the city?”

“What kind of question-- yah, I’m a Daegu local. Of course I’ve been to the city. I didn’t always live this far out. I lived around this area when I was a kid, then we moved to the city; and now we’re back here.”

Hoseok grinned, shoving him. “I was kidding, hyung. But if it’s not too much trouble, promise you’ll take me to your favourite spots. While working, of course.”

Yoongi couldn’t help but smile. “I promise.”

Yoongi thought it was going to be a lot more fun going undercover now that he had a partner with him instead of tagging along with the chief, but his disguise was really getting on his nerves; particularly because Hoseok wouldn’t stop with all his teasing.

“You look funny in a wig,” Hoseok giggled, poking his shoulder. “ _Min Yoonji-ssi_.”

Yoongi grunted in response. “You picked out this disguise, brat. I look like my fucking aunt.”

As hard as it was to believe, Yoongi was no stranger to crossdressing for work. In the few years he had worked as an officer, he had dressed as a maid in a cafe, pretended to be a model for shoots, sneaked into a school as a transfer student-- but they were all stories for another time. It was both a curse and a blessing that he had been born with feminine features, and it didn’t take long until he was routinely chosen for undercover missions.

Yoongi tucked a long strand of hair behind his ear, pouting. Though he complained, he would gladly take up the task anytime if it meant not putting his female colleagues in danger.

“You should be happy I didn’t choose the tight dress Chief recommended.” Hoseok grinned. Settling down in a roof-top cafe to observe the area was definitely a better idea than Yoongi’s initial plan to stoop around alleyways, Yoongi mused as he watched Hoseok gulping down his frappe. “Though I think you look plenty cute. If you were a girl, I’d definitely ask you out.”

Yoongi tugged on the ribbon around his collar, scowling. He was glad he at least had a coat to cover up the sheer blouse he was wearing. “How come your disguise looks so much better?” 

“Isn’t this the so-called boyfriend look? The seniors seemed to like it.” Hoseok lazed in his chair, drowning in an oversized tan sweater and a matching beanie. He laughed, his hand creeping across the desk to hold onto Yoongi’s wrist. “You’re overthinking it, hyung.”

Several heads turned in confusion to gawk at them. Hoseok’s loud voice was definitely a liability, Yoongi decided.

“It's noona.” Yoongi corrected, rolling his eyes. “If we’re gonna act like a couple, you better play your part.”

“I think I'll stick with babe.” Hoseok winked at him, ignoring his forced smile. He turned his attention to the streets below them. “Any sign of anything weird?”

Yoongi hummed, scanning the faces of the milling crowd. The air was getting colder and the leaves were changing colors, and Yoongi wondered if it was a bad idea to wear a skirt in such a season. Granted, he was also wearing tights and shorts underneath, but the chill in his legs bothered him more than he let on. Oh, well. If it meant an easier access to the holster strapped to his thigh, he didn’t mind.

His gaze drifted back to Hoseok. The poor guy was constantly double-checking his hidden equipments, his pupils shaking.

“You’re being too jittery.” Yoongi pointed out. “You’re gonna look suspicious. Just act natural.”

“Hy- Noona, that’s easy for you to say. You’re more experienced. This is my first time.”

Yoongi swallowed, trying to ignore the scandalised look on the faces of the family next to them. He leaned in closer, making it look like he was kissing Hoseok on the cheek. “You need to stop touching your fucking gun every five seconds, brat. You think criminals don’t know what it looks like when you’re reaching into your coat like that?” He hissed softly into his ear. Not quite as affectionate of a gesture as one would expect a girlfriend to do.

Hoseok’s hand quickly dropped to his lap, face flushed. “Oh, right. Sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“Don’t be. That’ll only make you lose focus and make mistakes.”

“Help me calm down.” Hoseok said, his complexion stricken. “Please.”

“What should I-”

“I don't know- speak to me in satoori? Or maybe call me oppa?”

Upon seeing the shit-eating grin bloom across his face, Yoongi snatched his wrist away. “Stop teasing me!”

“I’m not!” He whined. “Honey, you’re being so mean today.”

Yoongi wondered if he would be all clingy like Hoseok if he ever got himself a romantic partner. But if today was all about outdoing one another in how obnoxious they can get, he was all up for it. “Hoseok-ah,” He said sweetly.

Hoseok froze, gulping at the change in his tone. “Y-yes?”

“I love you.”

If he had ever seen someone mentally combust, it was that moment in particular. Yoongi smirked as he watched Hoseok laugh nervously, his jaw agape as he fanned himself. “You could really do some damage with those words, babe.”

“That guy kinda looks like Brad Pitt, don’t you think?”

“Are you just gonna pretend that didn’t happen?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Yoongi said nonchalantly. He paused for a beat, flashing Hoseok a devilish smirk. “Oppa.”

Before Hoseok could say anything, a blood-curdling scream echoed from below. Hoseok caught Yoongi’s eyes, and he nodded.

The two of them threw off their coats in unison, breaking into a sprint down the stairs, weaving through the gathering crowd. Yoongi narrowed his eyes as they ran down the street to where the scream had originated from. People were forming a thick wall, craning their heads to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Yoongi could feel the adrenaline starting to pump through his blood as he shoved his way through, but he knew better than to rely on them entirely. If his hands shook when he was shooting, he could end up injuring civilians.

“Police,” Yoongi announced, holding up his badge to the crying woman. Her hands were covered in blood, her entire body trembling. “Mind telling me what happened?”

She whipped her head around, immediately throwing herself at him. “I- I saw a dead body in the back! I was taking out the trash, and--”

Yoongi nodded to Hoseok, who immediately understood and carefully removed the woman from him. “Ma’am, calm down and tell me if you saw anyone suspicious.”

Yoongi turned his back to them, sliding his hand under his skirt and pulling out his gun.

The smell hit him before he even saw the body. Instead of rotting flesh, the stench of metal choked him. He braced himself, and turned the corner.

A woman’s limp body seemed to have been dumped there carelessly, blood pooling around her, her expression full of shock and fear.

Yoongi felt his blood boil at the sight, taking a moment to turn away and keep his emotions in check. Seeing the victims was always the most heartbreaking part of his job, and he didn’t know if he would ever get used to it.

He approached her, and brought his fingers to her neck… no pulse. She was growing colder and colder, but Yoongi could sense some warmth left in her. She had died fairly recently, he noted, his heart twisting. He closed her eyelids, fixing her skirt to cover her better.

He heard footsteps behind him, ones he recognized as Hoseok’s. “Did she see anyone fleeing the scene?”

Hoseok shook his head. “Tough luck. This street was in our view from the cafe, too. Nobody seemed suspicious.”

Yoongi frowned, getting back up. “Then, that means…”

Hoseok audibly gulped. “What is it, hyung?”

“He’s still here.” Yoongi murmured, eyes flitting back to the undispersing crowd. “Why run away when you can blend in, right?”

Yoongi made his way back to the witness, scanning the faces in the strangers surrounding them. Everyone seemed apprehensive, lines of worry marring their faces. They whispered amongst one another, frowning and ducking their heads.

Except for one man.

He seemed oddly calm, his line of sight fixed on the alleyway, his hands tucked deep into his coat pockets.

Yoongi stepped in front of him. He didn’t even register Yoongi’s presence until he cleared his throat. “Excuse me, sir.”

The man’s head snapped back to him, and for a second, when their eyes met, terror flashed in them, so minuscule and quick, Yoongi might’ve missed it if he wasn’t used to seeing it from his co-workers everyday. A vein bulged in the side of the man’s neck as he clenched his jaw. “You- you’re no woman!”

Yoongi regarded him calmly, despite the man being far bigger than him. “Take your hands out of your pockets, sir.”

“Wh-”

“Do it, _now_.” He commanded, unwavering. He was well aware of Hoseok whispering at him to cut it out and stop accusing people randomly, but Yoongi knew what he was doing. He had spent most of his life on the sidelines, reading people, after all-- the sole reason he even busted so many cases.

“Don’t you need a permit for that?” The man said coldly, seeming to have regained his composure.

“That’s not necessary, I’m afraid.” Yoongi scoffed. He tilted his head sideways. “Or are you perhaps hiding something?”

Upon hearing this, the man’s eyes widened. “You dare--”

Yoongi grabbed him by the collar, hissing. “You reek of blood, _bastard_.”

The man tensed, and in a flash, he pulled out his crimson-stained hands and shoved Yoongi away, sending him tumbling into Hoseok. The crowd screamed, and the man immediately turned on his heels and ran.

Yoongi growled, ripping his skirt off by the waistband. “I’m going to-”

“Hyung, wait!” Hoseok cried out, but Yoongi had already broken free from his clutches and went off after the suspect.

Yoongi gasped for air as he passed blurry faces and buldings, his eyes locked onto his target. The suspect took so many turns, Yoongi was starting to get dizzy. _Just a bit more_ , he told himself. He just had to hold on for a few more corners. He couldn’t let anyone else suffer the same fate as the victims had. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he let the man slip between his fingertips. _He was so close._

The man screeched to a halt, and Yoongi laughed mockingly. Just as he had planned. There were only so many alleys in the neighbourhood, and he knew the guy would go somewhere secluded. Sooner or later, they’d hit a--

“Dead end, huh?” Yoongi sneered. “Too bad, I know this place like the back of my hand.”

The man pulled out his gun, cocking it sideways. Yoongi could make fun of how pathetic he seemed with his shaky fingers. “Don’t move.” The man said hysterically. “Stay where you are, or I’ll shoot!”

“Please, you think I’m scared?” Yoongi snorted. He aimed his own gun at the man. “Put your hands up before I shoot your sorry ass.”

An eternity seemed to pass as the two of them stared the other down, malice and tension in the air. Neither looked away.

Out of nowhere, the man turned around, and started scaling the chain-link fence. He shrieked aimlessly as he pulled himself up, desperation echoing through his bones.

The man was getting away.

Yoongi’s body reacted, and he pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened.

“Shit!” Yoongi cursed, throwing his gun in a fit of fury. The weapon bounced off the fence, clattering to the ground.

 _How the fuck did he just make the worst rookie mistake ever?_ Yoongi growled under his breath, his eyes snapping up and locking with the equally shocked gaze of man before him.

The man was crying and laughing at the same time; out of relief or plain craziness, Yoongi wasn’t sure. He just knew he was fucked the moment he found himself staring into the barrel of a gun.

“Say goodbye, pretty boy,” He purred, his tears still trailing down his chin.

“I’ll see you in hell, bastard.” Yoongi spat defiantly. He had looked death in the eye countless times before. Even if he could see himself getting shot, even if he could see himself dying in his mind’s eye; he wasn’t afraid. Dying on the job seemed a noble death to him.

“Hyung! Don’t just run off--”

Yoongi snapped out of his trance, feeling all the blood drain from his face. “Hoseok?!” He squeaked incredulously. “Get away--”

The suspect realised the instant Yoongi did-- this new guy was of great importance to him, perhaps even more so than his own life. The man’s lips curled into a disgusting grin, and Yoongi watched in silent horror as the gun shifted from his face to Hoseok.

Time seemed to move slowly, and Hoseok’s eyes widened as he realised what was about to happen, his gun forgotten in his hand.

_Bang!_

Yoongi found himself tackling Hoseok to the ground, grabbing the gun from his hands and immediately rounding on the suspect, firing without hesitation.

The man gasped, his grip on the fence weakening; and he fell, holding onto his thigh. Hoseok slapped himself out of his daze, quickly going over and handcuffing the man, and had enough sense to start reading out his rights, albeit shakily.

Yoongi waited until he was done, tyring to regulate his shallow breathing before speaking. “Sorry for shoving you. Are you okay?”

“He was going to kill me. He was aiming for _me_.” Hoseok mumbled again and again, rubbing his scratched up elbows. His eyes were rimmed with red when he looked up. “Hyung, thank you so much. If you didn’t push me out of the way, I- I can’t even imagine…”

“Let me see your arms.” Yoongi said, beckoning him over. He whipped out the emergency supplies he always carried, disinfecting the cuts and patching them up in a flash.

Hoseok was strangely sober when he was done, still shaken up by their encounter. “Thank you.”

Yoongi took a step back, and he felt himself press against the wall behind him for support, drained from the chase.

He let out the breath he didn’t realise he had been holding, his fingers immediately working on undoing the clips of his wig. The bundle of faux hair slipped from his grip, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The unfamiliar gun felt heavy in his clammy hands, and he found himself wanting to close his eyes and just fall asleep.

Hoseok took a deep, shuddering breath. “Hyung, I--”

“Min Yoongi!”

Yoongi blinked an eye open. A furious Lee Hyun marched over to him, face red and sweating profusely despite the cold weather. Several uniformed officers rushed past them, apprehending the detained suspect. Yoongi wondered if the pulsing pain in his temple was caused by the sudden increase in volume as people hustled and yelled over the sirens. “Sir.”

“Have you not learned what a stakeout is yet? Why did you not stay in the area assigned to you? Disregarding my direct orders--”

“Sir, it was my idea to-”

“With all due respect, it was easier to see from a higher perspective. We kept the marked areas in sight. I believe it was the right call.” Yoongi cut Hoseok off, ignoring the glare Hoseok shot him.

Lee Hyun’s bottom lip was trembling, and Yoongi knew his disobedience wasn’t the real reason he was so upset.

“I’m sorry for acting on my own.” He murmured softly.

Lee Hyun sobbed into his elbow. “Damn right, you should be! You can be such an idiot, sometimes. What if you die? What would I do then? I’m always so worried about you. Imagine how I felt when Hoseok called for backup, panicked about you fucking off without so much as a word about your plan.”

“I’m sorry, hyung.” Hoseok looked away, slipping his walkie talkie out of sight.

Yoongi stayed quiet. His exhaustion was starting to catch up to him. He was just glad to see Hoseok alright, alive and breathing. Hoseok was blinking rapidly, and Yoongi could see the tears glistening on his lashes. He decided any scolding was worth it if it meant everything turned out fine in the end.

“Now, let’s get you back to the office and we can start on that report.” Lee Hyun said, letting out a wet laugh. He clapped his hand on Hoseok’s back, the other reaching out for Yoongi. “Let’s celebrate with some champagne tonight.”

The moment the chief tugged him by his arm, Yoongi gasped, piercing hot pain searing through his shoulder. His surroundings spun before him, and his vision blurred; the world tinged in red. Yoongi had seen blood more times that he could count, but somehow he had never considered that he had so much in him until he was watching it steadily drip onto the scattered autumn leaves.

His knees buckled under him-- and Min Yoongi collapsed to the ground.

“Medic! He's going into shock! Hurry!”

“Fuck!”

The last thing he saw was Hoseok’s anxious face, screaming soundlessly as he pressed his palms onto the wound, crying out for help over and over again, hunched over Yoongi’s body.

Yoongi almost couldn’t bear the sight of him. The never-ending tears. The endless apologies. The whispered frustrations that it should’ve been _him_ instead of Yoongi, damning him for his hero complex.

Despite that, a small, semi-in-shock part of him was glad he wasn’t alone, even if said company was cursing him as he slipped in and out of conciousness.

He smiled as his eyes fluttered shut.

Perhaps it wasn’t so bad to have someone have your back, after all.


	3. winter's breath

Min Yoongi sat silently at the foot of the hospital bed, his eyebrows furrowed and his mood already sour.

“Stop fussing over me!”

A few days had passed since his arm was out of the sling, and his physical therapy was going smoothly, but Yoongi still found himself being bombarded with aggressive care and concern from his partner. He whined non-stop about all the attention on him, but if he was being completely honest, having Hoseok around during his check-ups comforted him.

“Hyung, the doctor said not to move around so much! Extend your break. I’m sure chief won’t hesitate to approve your request.” Hoseok scolded, not an ounce of playfulness in his tone.

“But I can still use my fingers just fine!” He retorted, wiggling them about in front of himself. He felt like a child all over again; explaining himself, looking up at Hoseok. “I want to do _something_.”

“But you hate paperwork.” Hoseok pointed out. “And you can’t lie and say your shoulder doesn’t hurt. You sit right across me, dumbass. I can see you just fine when you’re pulling those faces.”

Yoongi pouted, crossing his arms. “Sitting around doing nothing sucks. I can’t even produce music without my damn shoulder bugging me. Might as well come to work and get paid for sitting at the computer.”

“You stubborn little--”

“Min Yoongi-ssi?”

The two of them immediately stopped their bickering, Hoseok’s signature smile already plastered on when he shook the doctor’s hand. “Good morning, doc.”

“I see you brought Hoseok along again today.” The way her expression brightened up only proved Yoongi’s hypothesis that Hoseok was capable of warming up to literally anyone. “Well, we won’t do much today. We’ll just be checking on the wound and give you some painkillers.”

When Yoongi lifted off his shirt, Hoseok let out a low whistle of appreciation. “Hyung, you’re quite sexy aren’t you? Looking pretty good for someone who hasn’t worked out in a few weeks.”

He blushed. The punk had gotten far too comfortable with teasing him as the months passed by. “Shut the fuck up.”

The doctor’s gloved hands felt cool against his bare skin, and he flinched when her fingers brushed over the closed up entrance wound. “You’re healing up quite nicely. Do you feel any pain when doing your daily activities?”

“Sometimes it aches, but other than that I’m fine.” Yoongi said, glancing warily as she jotted down notes on her clipboard.

“You’re certainly very lucky that the bullet didn’t hit any bones, arteries _or_ nerves. Otherwise your recovery would be much more difficult.” Her lips twitched. “Or more commonly, you’d be dead right now. Most bullets to the shoulder kill, regardless of what the media tells you.”

He appreciated the honesty, but Hoseok’s complexion was getting paler by the second. Considering how Yoongi got injured from shielding him, his guilt was understandable, despite Yoongi reminding him tirelessly that it was his own choice to do so.

The doctor seemed to pick up on this, too, hastily adding, “There was already medical assistance on site, so your chances of surviving was significantly higher than most.”

“So he’s alright now, right? No need for any further surgeries?” Hoseok asked, chewing on his thumb nervously.

“We didn’t detect any shrapnel whatsoever, and there are no complications regarding his health. However,” The doctor narrowed her eyes. “I know your job can get very taxing, so please avoid doing any more fieldwork in case you can’t defend yourself.”

“But I studied martial arts during my training period.” Yoongi protested.

“Yes, but your shoulder is currently very weak.” The doctor sighed. “Especially since it’s your dominant side, I’d say you’d put yourself in more danger, should you risk it.”

Hoseok groaned, rubbing his temple. “I’ll make sure to keep this idiot out of trouble.”

“I’m very happy to see you get better so quickly, Yoongi-ssi.” The doctor nodded. “We very rarely get to see the ideal shoulder shot in person, so to speak. It’s certainly amazing how the odds were in your favour.”

Her smile seemed genuine enough that Yoongi found himself reflexively returning it. “I may have used up all my luck, huh?”

“With this sort of stunt? Yes.” Hoseok grumbled under his breath.

The doctor’s eyes twinkled when she gave them one last look, the curtain closing behind her to give them privacy.

“Then, hopefully you won’t be needing any luck from now on, yes?”

Yoongi loved his day job, but specifically because it went on only when the sun was still up. He was a man of the night, burying himself in his passion projects and indulging in his creative flow. Runch Randa, one of his most loyal supporters in the underground scene who was an admittedly good producer and rapper himself, was already getting antsy with the lack of updates, blowing up his DM’ s daily without fail.

But there wasn’t much Yoongi could do about it.

Even if he was the golden child of the precinct, Chief Lee Hyun couldn’t avoid giving him a punishment after chewing him out so publicly. He was sentenced to the dreaded night shift, where the hours were long and the only thing keeping you company was radio silence and the woman at the front desk.

Hoseok, however, seemed to not mind the change in their schedule. Yoongi had always suspected he wasn’t much of a morning person, despite his cheery attitude. He had gotten used to a glare or two accidentally thrown his way before Hoseok remembered to keep his attitude in check when they started work in the early mornings.

Yoongi was tempted to just sleep on the desk. Nothing interesting ever happened during the day, so why should he expect any incidents in the night time? They were so far away from any clubs and bars that they didn’t even get any reports on drunks. In that sense, he was glad Daegu had four other stations to deal with those.

“It’s raining.” Hoseok stated simply, frowning as he glanced out of the large windows.

“Quite the storm we’ve got going on.” Yoongi grunted. He, too, was anxious about the howling winds and heavy rain. Lightning streaked through the inky night sky, and Yoongi wondered if he had ever had such an ominous feeling during a rainstorm before. “This is one of the worst we’ve seen here in Daegu. I hope we don’t have to go out in this kind of weather.”

“Hey, at least we haven’t gotten any reports on that dumb mansion this season yet, right?”

Yoongi chewed on his bottom lip, a finger tracing the edges of the files stacked upon his desk. They had spent the better half of their partnership checking up on the mansion, so much so that even Hoseok had lost all enthusiasm. “Yeah, I was getting tired of that.”

It'd be weird if he wasn't. He had spent his childhood sneaking into the mansion. Having to search it every now and then for work-- he was sick of seeing the same moldy walls all over again, but he had gotten used to it. 

“Aren’t we due for more soon?” Hoseok called out over his shoulder. He seemed to want to distract himself, rearranging the messy cabinets, and Yoongi didn’t miss the way his line of sight trailed to his shoulder, his eyebrows scrunched in worry. Yoongi pulled his blazer tighter around himself.

“Why? Because it’s nearly winter?”

Hoseok rolled his eyes. “Reports always pop up more when the holidays come around. Those damn tourists always got a few screws lose, going up to a place like _that_.”

Yoongi felt a growing sense of unease. It was true that the infamous ‘Midnight Madness’ occurred all year round, the mystery surrounding the mansion forever drawing in random passersby. But it hadn’t always been as harmless as the recent years had made it out to be. There had been countless missing people cases linked back to the small, local cult, slipping past the police’s grasps. Now, all they got were distress calls about vanishing blood and disembodied voices.

But, as Yoongi tallied up the reports on the mansion, there had been a sudden spike in the numbers this year, and yet it had been strangely silent as fall went and winter crept upon them. Almost as if…

Something big was coming. 

Something that maybe even Min Yoongi, the golden child of Daegu, couldn’t handle.

Perhaps the world was simply preparing for one big, grand finale; all this while.

Yoongi scoffed. He really needed a drink if he was going to go down _that_ train of thought.

“I see headlights.” Hoseok said suddenly.

Yoongi waved a dismissive hand. “Probably people visiting their grandparents. There’s a village up ahead.”

Hoseok sunk back into his seat, whining. “Well, fine. Guess I’ll just play some solitaire-- oh wait. This dumb computer only has access to fucking Excel and Word!”

“I know what you can do,” Yoongi said drily. “Go up to the window and bet which raindrop is gonna win the race.”

“Haha, very funny, hyung.”

As they settled into silence, Yoongi stared glumly at his desk. Nothing seemed out of place, except…

He blinked.

Yoongi sat up in his seat. Huh. Had the picture of him and his friend always been so distorted? It seemed to swirl in on itself, their faces morphing into something he could barely recognize.

A slight chill passed through his bones.

He shook his head to clear away the thoughts. He was probably just tired. As Runch Randa always told him; the night can do strange things to the mind.

He had been through a lot, being a police officer. He had crossdressed multiple times, caught some cows, chased down serial killers… it was safe to say nothing would surprise Yoongi anymore. He was pretty desensitized, in every sense of the word.

Yet Yoongi still found himself in shock when five people stumbled into their office that night, soaking wet and dripping mud everywhere.

Yoongi felt his heart nearly stop, and he jumped to his feet at the sight of the familiar face; a surge of uncontrollable emotions bubbling up to the surface.

“...Taehyung?”

Kim Taehyung raised his head, skin pale and eyes sunken, yet his smile was as charming as Yoongi had remembered; though it was albeit askew. “Hi, hyung. Long time no see, huh?”

Yoongi went to grab some towels, but Hoseok stopped him, immediately rushing off to search through the cabinets. When he handed them to the group, he stopped for a moment on Taehyung, and Yoongi saw some recognition in his eyes. Taehyung, the boy Yoongi adored so much he still kept photos of them when they were kids on his desk.

He hadn't seen him in years, not since he moved away. Last he had heard of him, he had been carted off to a mental institution, following the death of his entire family. So why had he materialised seemingly out of nowhere, more than a decade after they've lost contact?

When Yoongi looked into his eyes, things seemed off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about him had changed-- almost as if all those years of trauma had never happened. And Yoongi knew they were traumatic. He had been there for most of it, staying by Taehyung's side as night fell and the sun rose, comforting him when he had seen too much; forced to do more than any sane person could stomach. Yoongi had danced with the devil, risking his own life sneaking into the mansion to be there for Taehyung.

Even when he hadn't been sure what was going on, he had heard rumors floating around town.

_The missing people; the secret cult; a deal with the supernatural._

But surely, this frail child crying in his arms could do him no harm, right?

The now-empty mansion that somehow worked its way back into his life; the adult Taehyung who seemed like an entirely different person. Yoongi wondered if this was the reason he had felt so on-edge the whole night.

Yoongi struggled to find the right words to say. He had been to a shrink himself before; he had learned about repressed memories and how fucked up kids can get if something occured in their developmental years. He had seen Taehyung with blood on his hands; muted horror in his eyes; whispered promises to not say a word to anyone, fearful that they'd be separated if Taehyung's parents found out. Yet he wasn't sure how much Taehyung actually remembered. If he accidentally said something that could break down a mental barrier...

Yoongi's shoulder was starting to ache again. Hoseok stood by his side, watching him in silent agitation, waiting for his orders.

"So, why are you guys here?” Yoongi asked, clearing his throat. “Did something happen?”

Before Taehyung could say anything, the smallest of them all spoke up, his voice quivering-- from the cold or nervousness, Yoongi wasn’t sure. “I-it’s about the mansion.”

Yoongi met Hoseok’s eyes.

“...you jinxed it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow this work is finally complete,, i'm emotional. i'm so attached to this universe, and i'm contemplating on writing how the other 5 met and showing jk's breakdown when he was a teen when he first learned about his condition. idk tho i have so many other projects I need to wrap up :') 
> 
> hope you enjoyed this mini adventure, thanks for reading!! I always have fun writing sope lol


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